Road fatalities spike as serious crimes tumble – Top Cop

While Guyana has recorded a plunge in the number of serious crimes over the past year, road fatalities have surged.

This is according to Commissioner of Police (ag), Nigel Hoppie. He was at the time delivering brief remarks at the Force’s Annual Christmas breakfast on Wednesday at the Officers’ Mess, Eve Leary.
“The year to date has seen a decrease of 4.3 per cent in serious crimes in comparison to last year. However, in terms of traffic [statistics], we have recorded a 21 per cent increase in fatal accidents which has resulted in 15 per cent increase in the road fatalities,” the Top Cop disclosed.

Over the past two years, the Guyana Police Force has not provided any crime or traffic statistics – something which was done on a monthly basis prior to 2019.
Nevertheless, since the last weekend, there have been several serious crimes and fatal accidents.
On Saturday night around 21:30h, 36-year-old Kenford Downer set afire a Four Miles Squatting Area, Potaro Road, Bartica, Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) home with his 48-year-old reputed wife Carolina Kennedy and their two daughters – ages five and three – inside.
The mother and children died, and Downer has since been arrested.
Also that night, a private security officer shot and killed 29-year-old Zadan Mohamed of Annandale Pump Road, East Coast Demerara (ECD), after he, along with another suspect, was found in the compound of an Eccles Industrial Site, East Bank Demerara (EBD) manufacturing business sometime around 21:45h.
On Sunday morning about 11:45h, pedal cyclist Purshotam Tilak, called “Navin”, of Albert Street, Kingston, Corriverton died after being struck by a speeding minibus on the Corriverton Highway.
Earlier Sunday morning, the unconscious body of a six-year-old girl was found a short distance away from her Goed Bananen Land, East Canje, Berbice home. Her mother was arrested and has since confessed to beating the child with a piece of wood and dumping her body after she fell unconscious.
A 23-year-old man, Keith Andrew Willis, called “Ghandi”, of Bachelor’s Adventure, ECD, was also murdered sometime between Sunday night and early Monday morning. His body, which bore a single stab wound, was discovered on the Bachelor’s Adventure Access Road by a passerby.
On Tuesday around 12:20h, 60-year-old Clifton Sukhoo, called “John” of Lot 70 New Street, Cumberland East Canje, lost his life in an accident which saw two motorcycles crashing into each other along the Cumberland Public Road.
Then about 20:00h, two missionaries – 75-year-old Cornelius Rozema and his 79-year-old wife, Bernice – were killed in a two-vehicle crash on the Linden-Soesdyke Highway.
Later on Tuesday night, around 22:45h, 33-year-old Ameena Sooklall of Providence, EBD, was also killed in an accident on the McDoom Public Road, Greater Georgetown.
These were just some of the major incidents over the past few days.
Acting Commissioner Hoppie stated at the breakfast, which was attended by President Dr Irfaan Ali, that the Force is continuing to deal with these serious crimes and accidents especially during the Christmas season.
“When we rolled out our Christmas plan, we featured heightened intelligence-led operations where ranks would be involved in emphasised foot, bicycle, vehicular, mounted, canine and marine patrols, and road blocks and traffic control, while maintaining vigilance in relation to the continued enforcement of the COVID-19 restrictions,” he stated.
According to Top Cop, “We intend to learn from the challenges we have faced with the aim of improving our performance and building on our successes. We intend to improve on public trust and confidence.”
Moreover, the acting Commissioner provided an overview of the Force’s performance over the last year and reassured of the Police Force’s commitment to fulfilling its mandate.
“This year, from the Police perspective, has not been without its challenges. Despite which, we continue assiduously with committed and dedicated efforts to maintain our mandate of safety and security of the nation and our country… I’m confident that we in the Guyana Police Force will be able to see our plans and goals to fruition as we move forward,” the Top Cop stated.